Spaghetti Squash with Cottage Cheese and Ground Turkey! An easy and healthy weeknight dinner that’s packed with protein, filling and delicious. Feel free to add marinara sauce for additional flavor.
Admittedly, not the most beautiful looking dish I’ve made but certainly delicious and easy. I have always cut my spaghetti squash lengthwise, like you see above. It’s easier to handle and roast and stays flat. Also, this way it gives you more room to fill in the squash half. . . But I kept hearing that you get longer spaghetti squash strands by slicing it crosswise.
So I tried it.
Cooking With Spaghetti Squash
Honestly, I didn’t love it and I didn’t see a huge difference in the length of my strands anyway. So, I think I will continue slicing lengthwise but you do you. I do love spaghetti squash. Such a great and nutritious vehicle for a lot of different things. There’s of course the lasagna.
I also love just mixing some greens with butternut squash. I even threw in roasted Brussels sprouts and pine nuts, oh my! So delicious!
Spaghetti Squash with Cottage Cheese and Ground Turkey
In my opinion this is the perfect meal. You have veg, you have protein, creaminess, heat and flavor. I hope you give this one a try!
Spaghetti Squash with Cottage Cheese and Ground Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin; split
- salt and pepper
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 to 1 lb. ground turkey depending on how much you want
- 2 to 3 cups kale chopped
- 2 cups marinara sauce optional
- crushed red pepper flakes
- cottage cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°. Carefully slice your squash in half lengthwise or crosswise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Lightly drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place squash halves, cut side down, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes.
- While the squash is in the oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan or skillet. Add the onions and cook until tender. Add the garlic and toss for 30 seconds. Add the ground turkey and cook until all cooked through.
- Add in the chopped kale. Feel free to drizzle a little olive oil over the kale. Cook until the kale has wilted. If wanting to add marinara sauce, you can add it now (or mix it with the cottage cheese). Add the crushed red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Let everything cook for a few minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- When the squash is ready: Remove the spaghetti squash from the oven. Let stand about 2 to 3 minutes to cool a little. When ready, using a fork, carefully scrape the inside of the squash to create spaghetti-like strands. Now, you can "build your bowl" in the squash itself or place squash strands into a bowl.
- Add cottage cheese on top and top with the turkey mixture. Mix and taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy while hot.
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